Sarvangasana

Sarvangasana

Shoulder stand Pose

Lying on the back with the hands under the mid-back, the legs and lower body are lifted so that the weight of the body is supported on the head, neck, shoulders and upper arms. The gaze is towards the toes and the sagittal and transverse line of the head is perpendicular with the midsagittal and midfrontal line of the body.Sarvangasan is known a very important asan in Chikitsa Karma.Sarvangasana and Sirsana are considered, figuratively and actually, the heart and head of asana practice. As its name indicates- all body part pose- sarvangasana is beneficial to all parts of the body, including internal organs. According to Yoga Diseases are caused by some the kosas getting displace downwards from their positions, and daily practice of sarvangasana helps to move the organs in the opposite direction and get them back to their original position.

Procedure:

1. Lie down flat on the floor, on your back, palms by your side facing2. Exhale and lift your legs up 30, then 60, then 90 and then around 130 degrees so they are extended behind your head.3. Stay in this position, breathing normally, for a few seconds.4. Now, gradually, exhale again, and straighten your legs up to 90 degrees, lifting your buttocks as well. Support the back of your trunk with your palms, keeping elbows on the floor. Gradually, walk your hands towards your shoulder blades, as you lift your body higher.Look at the picture for guidance.5. Your elbows may tend to move outwards. Bring them in, so they are straight in line with your shoulders.6. You will notice that your hips tend to jut out backwards, while your feet tend to come forward over the head. This is not the right way to do it. Work at it so your body is in a straight line. Your hips, feet and shoulders should be aligned, so push your feet back and bring your hips and tailbone forward. Remember, this exercise is not as much about effort as it is about balance.7. Lift your body as high up as possible. Sarvangasana is a shoulder stand, so your body should be resting on your shoulders and not on your back.8. Hold this position for as long as possible.9. Remember to exhale while lifting your body up, but once your body is up, you can breathe normally. There is no need to hold your breath.10. Time yourself, so you can see how long you can remain in this position. The next time, try and balance your body for a little longer.

Benefits:

1.Regulation of the sex glands and the pituitary glands.2.Stimulation of the nerves.3.Improvement in blood circulation and Increase in efficiency of the thyroid.4.Eye sight gets improved.5.Good for your abdomen. 6.Sarvangasana has all the benefits of Shirshasana but is safer and easier to perform.

Precautions:

1. Should not be performed by people suffering from high blood pressure, heart conditions or brain diseases.2. Should be avoided during menstruation and pregnancy.3. Should be avoided if suffering from a very enlarged thyroid, enlarged spleen or liver as well as cervical spondylitis, slipped disc, headache and weak blood vessels in the eyes.Lie flat with the back touching the ground and limbs out stretched, and the palm touching the sides as low down as possible. Then raise up the legs slowly and steadily, the toes pointing forward.Now raise the whole body up.The body weight resting on the neck and head with the hand pporting the waist You can do the same thing with the palm supporting the ground.

Position:

One should concentrate on getting the legs, waist and the back in one straight line and making this line 90 degrees with the ground. In this asana the arms up to the elbows are placed on the floor, shoulder width apart. The body from the feet to the shoulders is in a straight line. The chest is pushed forward and the chin is placed in the throat pit / jugular notch forming a tie which is called 'Jalandhar Bandha'. All the pressure is on the neck, shoulders and the back of the head. The hands are placed on the back ribs, the legs are straight and the feet are relaxed.